NL Central

NL West

RANGERS TIMELINE

1960s

1960

Oct 26, 1960: American League awards expansion franchise to Washington, D.C. following transfer of Calvin Griffith's franchise to Minnesota.

Nov 17, 1960: General Elwood R. (Pete) Quesada's bid for the Washington franchise is approved by American League.

1961

Apr 10, 1961: President John F. Kennedy throws out the first pitch as 26,724 watch the Washington Senators lose to Chicago White Sox, 4-3 at Griffith Stadium in the franchise's first game.

1962

Apr 9, 1962: The Senators beat Detroit, 4-1 in first game at new District of Columbia Stadium (renamed Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in 1969).

July 10, 1962: The first of two 1962 All-Star Games comes to D.C. Stadium as the National League beats the American League, 3-1, before 45,480.

Sept 18, 1962: The American League holds a meeting in New York to explore the possibilities of major league baseball coming to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Although the idea is deemed worthy, league owners reject Kansas City A's owner Charley Finley's attempt to move his team to the metroplex.

1963

Jan 29, 1963: James H. Johnston, James H. Lemon, and George M. Bunker buy out Quesada and four others to become majority owners of the Senators.

1964

September 1964: Construction begins on 10,000-seat Turnpike Stadium in Arlington. The ballpark would serve as home of the Dallas-Fort Worth entry in the Texas League and, eight years later, the Texas Rangers.

1965

January 1965: Johnston and Lemon buy out Bunker and other partners to gain complete control of the franchise.

Apr 23, 1965: The Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs beat Albuquerque before 7,231 in the first game at Turnpike Stadium.

1966

June 1966: Washington selects Pittsfield (Mass.) outfielder Tom Grieve as its top choice in the June free agent draft. Grieve would go on to a fine career with the Senators and Rangers and later become the club's general manager.

1967

June 12, 1967: The Senators beat Chicago, 6-5, in 22 innings. The game lasted six hours, 38 minutes and ended at 2 43 a.m., causing the league to adopt a curfew stating that no inning may start after 1 00 a.m.

November 1967: The Senators draft shortstop Toby Harrah from the Phillies farm club in Reading, Pa.

1968

Apr 19, 1968: After a five-hour meeting in Chicago, the National League approves expansion to Montreal and San Diego. Dallas-Fort Worth fails in its bid for an NL franchise.

Dec 3, 1968: Robert E. Short, the Democratic National Committee Treasurer, purchases majority interest of the Washington Senators at the winter meetings in San Francisco.

1969

Jan 18, 1969: Ted Williams is appointed manager of the Senators.

July 23, 1969: The National League scores a 9-3 win in the All-Star Game before 45,259 at R.F.K. Stadium.

Oct 1, 1969: The Senators close out the season with an 86-76 record after finishing 32 games under .500 a year earlier. The turnaround earns Ted Williams AL Manager of the Year honors. Frank Howard finishes with 48 homers and places fourth in the MVP voting. Dick Bosman wins the era title at 2.19.

1970s

1970

October 1970: Frank Howard captures two-thirds of the Triple Crown with 44 homers and 126 RBIs and finishes fifth in the MVP balloting. Expansion begins at Turnpike Stadium to enlarge seating capacity to 20,000.

1971

Sept 20, 1971: Short receives approval from AL owners to move the franchise from Washington, D.C. to Arlington, Texas for the 1972 season.

Sept 30, 1971: The final game for Washington Senators is forfeited to the Yankees when fans stream onto the field with two out in the ninth inning with Senators, leading, 7-5.

October 1971: With the coming of Major League Baseball, Turnpike Stadium is enlarged to a 35,694 seating capacity and renamed Arlington Stadium.

Nov 23, 1971: Short announces the franchise will be called the Texas Rangers.

1972

Apr 6, 1972: The Rangers' inaugural game is postponed by a players' strike.

Apr 15, 1972: The Rangers lose at California, 1-0, in the team's first game. Catcher Hal King singles off Andy Messersmith for the first base hit in Texas history.

Apr 16, 1972: Pete Broberg beats the Angels, 5-1, for the first victory in club history.

Apr 21, 1972: The Rangers beat the Angels, 7-6, before a crowd of 20,105 in first game for the franchise at Arlington Stadium. Frank Howard homers in the first inning for Texas.

July 25, 1972: Toby Harrah becomes the first Ranger selected to the all-star team.

Sept 30, 1972: Ted Williams retires as Rangers manager. Whitey Herzog, Director of Player Development for the New York Mets, is named as Williams' successor.

1973

June 5, 1973: Texas selects lefthanded pitcher David Clyde as the nation's number one draft choice in the June free agent draft.

June 27, 1973: Just 20 days out of Houston's Westchester High School, 18-year-old David Clyde makes his Major League debut against the Minnesota Twins. He walks the first two batters he faces before fanning three straight and he goes on to post a 4-3 victory before a crowd of 35,698.

July 26, 1973: Jeff Burroughs hits the first of three grand slams in 10 days.

July 30, 1973: Jim Bibby throws the first no-hitter in team history by blanking the A's, 6-0. Bibby fans 13 to beat Oakland ace Vida Blue.

1974

Aug 30, 1974: Second baseman Dave Nelson ties a Major League record by stealing second, third and home in the first inning against Cleveland's Dick Bosman.

Oct 2, 1974: Texas finishes with an 84-76 record, in second place, five games behind eventual world champion Oakland. First baseman Mike Hargrove is the league Rookie of the Year, Jeff Burroughs is the AL MVP, Billy Martin is the Manager of the Year, and Ferguson Jenkins is the Comeback Player of the Year, second only to the A's Catfish Hunter in Cy Young voting.

1975

July 21, 1975: Billy Martin is fired as Texas manager after leading the team to a 44-51 record. Third base coach Frank Lucchesi takes over on an interim basis and guides the team to a 35-32 record (79-83 overall).

1976

June 25, 1976: Shortstop Toby Harrah plays a complete doubleheader without handling a chance in the field, a major league record.

December 1976: The Rangers and the City of Arlington agree on a two-year program to renovate and enlarge Arlington Stadium to 42,000.

1977

May 15, 1977: Willie Horton becomes the first Ranger to hit three home runs in one game in a 7-3 victory over Kansas City.

June 22, 1977: After a 31-31 start, Frank Lucchesi is replaced as manager by Eddie Stanky, who guides the club to a 10-8 win over Minnesota but steps down after just one game.

June 28, 1977: Billy Hunter, in his 14th year as a coach with the Baltimore Orioles, takes over as manager of the Rangers. He would guide the club to a 60-33 (.645) over the remainder of the season.

Aug 8, 1977: Texas turns the first triple play in team history. With runners on first and second, Oakland's Manny Sanguillen grounds to third baseman Toby Harrah, who steps on third and throws to Bump Wills at second for the force. Wills relays to Mike Hargrove at first to complete the triple play.

1980s

1980

May 3, 1980: Fergie Jenkins becomes the fourth pitcher in history to win 100 games in each league when he downs Baltimore, 3-2, at Arlington Stadium.

Nov 12, 1980: Former Senator Don Zimmer is named as the Rangers' eighth manager.

1981

Apr 30, 1981: Lefthander Rick Honeycutt sets a club record with his fourth consecutive shutout, a 7-0 five-hitter over the Royals at Arlington Stadium.

May 25, 1981: Bill Stein sets an AL record with his seventh consecutive pinch hit, breaking the mark of Baltimore's Bob Johnson.

June 11, 1981: Fergie Jenkins and the Rangers blow a 3-1 sixth-inning lead as the Brewers rally for a 6-3 victory on the last day before the players' strike. Had Texas held on to win, it would have remained in first place and clinched a playoff spot.

1982

July 4-7-10, 1982: Larry Parrish ties a Major League record with three grand slams in one week. In 10 games, Parrish collects 19 rbi and bats .514 (18-35).

1983

July 3, 1983: The Rangers set a Major League record by scoring 12 runs in an extra inning. Texas send 16 batters to the plate in the 15th inning at Oakland to post a 16-4 victory.

Aug 11, 1983: The City of Arlington and the Rangers announce a new option contract giving the ballclub complete control of Arlington Stadium.

Oct, 1983: The Rangers finish the season with a 3.31 ERA and a .962 fielding percentage, both best in the American League.

1984

Sept 30, 1984: California's Mike Witt becomes the 13th pitcher in big league history to pitch a perfect game when he retires 27 straight Rangers at Arlington Stadium.

1985

Apr 29, 1985: Larry Parrish hits three homers as Texas beats the Yankees, 7-5, at Arlington Stadium. It is the fourth time in his career for Parrish to accomplish the feat and he becomes the fifth player in Major League history to do it in both leagues.

May 16, 1985: Bobby Valentine is named to succeed Doug Rader as Rangers manager.

July 23, 1985: Oddibe McDowell becomes the first Ranger ever to hit for the cycle with a 5-for-5 effort against the Cleveland Indians at Arlington Stadium. His eight consecutive hits (three the previous game) tie a team record.

1987

Nov 3, 1987: The Rangers purchase Arlington Stadium from the City of Arlington.

1988

1989

Mar 18, 1989: An investor group led by George W. Bush and Edward W. (Rusty) Rose purchases controlling interest in the Rangers from Eddie Chiles.

Aug 22, 1989: Nolan Ryan strikes out Oakland's Rickey Henderson to become the first pitcher in Major League history to record 5,000 career strikeouts.

1990s

1990

June 11, 1990: At Oakland, Nolan Ryan pitches his sixth career no-hitter in a 5-0 shutout over the A's.

July 31, 1990: Nolan Ryan defeats the Brewers, 11-3, at Milwaukee for his 300th career victory.

Oct 24, 1990: The Rangers and the City of Arlington announce plans to build a new ballpark and complex adjacent to the Arlington Stadium location.

1991

Jan 19, 1991: City of Arlington voters approve a one-half cent sales tax to finance up to 135 million dollars of municipal bonds for construction of ballpark complex.

May 1, 1991: Nolan Ryan throws his seventh career no-hitter in a 3-0 win over Toronto at Arlington Stadium. His seven no-hitters are a Major League record and at 44 years, three months and one day, Ryan is the oldest pitcher ever to throw a no-hitter.

Oct 30, 1991: Official groundbreaking ceremony takes place for new ballpark complex.

1992

Apr 24, 1992: Actual construction begins on new ballpark with the first game to take place on Opening Day, 1994.

July 9, 1992: Bobby Valentine is dismissed as manager, and replaced on an interim basis by Toby Harrah. A week later, Harrah accepts the position on a full-time basis.

Oct 26, 1992: Kevin Kennedy is appointed as Rangers manager.

1993

Sept 12, 1993: Nolan Ryan pitches in his final game at Arlington Stadium on "Nolan Ryan Appreciation Day." The Twins post a 4-2 victory over the Rangers, but following the game, Ryan is honored in an on-field ceremony.

Oct 3, 1993: The Royals defeat the Rangers, 4-1, before 41,039 at the final game in Arlington Stadium history. Arlington Stadium closes its doors after hosting Major League Baseball for 22 years.

1994

Apr 1, 1994: The Rangers play the first game at The Ballpark in Arlington, losing to the New York Mets in an exhibition contest, 10-7.

Apr 11, 1994: The Rangers fall to Milwaukee, 4-3, in the first regular-season game at The Ballpark in Arlington.

July 28, 1994: Kenny Rogers becomes the first Ranger pitcher to ever throw a perfect game, blanking the Angels, 4-0, at The Ballpark in Arlington.

Oct 14, 1994: Johnny Oates, manager of the Baltimore Orioles since 1991, is named as the 14th full-time manager in Rangers history.

1995

July 11, 1995: The Rangers host the 66th All-Star Game at The Ballpark in Arlington, as the National League posts a 3-2 victory over the American League.

1996

Sept 15, 1996: Texas retires Nolan Ryan's uniform number 34, the first retired number in franchise history.

Sept 27, 1996: The Rangers clinch their first postseason appearance in franchise history as Seattle loses to Oakland, giving Texas the American League West Division championship.

Oct 1, 1996: The Rangers play the first postseason game in franchise history, defeating the New York Yankees, 6-2, in Game 1 of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium.

Oct 4, 1996: Playoff baseball finally comes to Arlington, but the Yankees score two runs in the ninth inning for a 3-2 victory over Texas before 50,860 at The Ballpark in Arlington.

Nov, 1996: Johnny Oates becomes the first Texas manager to win the BBWAA AL Manager of the Year award. Juan Gonzalez, who set team records with 47 homers and 144 RBIs, becomes the second Rangers player to win the BBWAA AL Most Valuable Player award.

Dec 16, 1996: John Wetteland, the 1996 World Series MVP with the Yankees, signs a four-year contract to pitch for the Rangers.

1997

June 12, 1997: The San Francisco Giants defeat the Rangers, 4-3, before 46,507 at The Ballpark in Arlington in the first regular season Interleague game in Major League history. Darren Oliver throws the first pitch.

June 30, 1997: Bobby Witt hits a solo homer off Ismael Valdes at Dodger Stadium, the first American League pitcher to go deep in a regular season game since Baltimore's Roric Harrison on Oct 3, 1972 (1st game) at Cleveland. It is the first home run by a pitcher in Texas Rangers history.

1998

Jan 7, 1998: An investor group led by Thomas O. Hicks agrees to acquire the Rangers in a $250 million transaction.

June 10, 1998: Major League owners unanimously approve transfer of ownership of Texas Rangers to Thomas O. Hicks at Major League meetings in Seattle.

Sept 25, 1998: The Rangers clinch American League West Division Championship in Seattle when Anaheim loses to Oakland.

Oct 2, 1998: The New York Yankees complete a three-game sweep of the Rangers in AL Division Series with a 4-0 win at The Ballpark in Arlington. The game is delayed 3 16 in the sixth inning due to rain.

1999

Jan 5, 1999: Nolan Ryan elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He announced that he will be the first Hall of Famer to ever have a Texas Rangers cap on his plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Apr 29, 1999: Tom Schieffer resigns as Rangers President.

May 7, 1999: Jim Lites named Rangers President.

July 25, 1999: Nolan Ryan inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Sept. 26, 1999: The Rangers defeat Oakland, 10-3, to clinch the American League West Division title.

Oct. 9, 1999: The New York Yankees win their ninth straight playoff game against the Rangers, completing their second straight three-game sweep of the Rangers in the AL Division Series with a 3-0 win at The Ballpark in Arlington.

2000s

2000

2002

Oct. 11, 2002: The Rangers hire Buck Showalter as 16th full-time manager in club history.

2003

July 15, 2003: Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock gave the American League an All-Star Game victory -- and home-field advantage in the World Series -- by slugging a two-run home run in the eighth inning off Dodgers closer Eric Gagne at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

2004

The Rangers enjoyed a dramatic turnaround in 2004 by winning 89 games and finishing just three games back in the American League West. Buck Showalter engineered the Texas renaissance and was named AL Manager of the Year. The Rangers had five All-Stars: shortstop Michael Young, third baseman Hank Blalock, second baseman Alfonso Soriano, starting pitcher Kenny Rogers and closer Francisco Cordero. First baseman Mark Teixeira and Soriano picked up Silver Slugger Awards and Rogers earned his third Gold Glove. The Rangers were in first place as late as Aug. 5, thanks largely to the dynamic offense provided by their infield and the solid work of the bullpen. Each member of the starting infield -- Teixeira, Soriano, Young and Blalock -- went past the 20-homer plateau. Texas was only the second club in Major League history to have all four starting infielders record more than 20 homers.

Feb. 16, 2004: Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig approves the trade of Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees in exchange for Alfonso Soriano and a player to be named later (minor league shortstop Joaquin Arias.)

July 13, 2004: Alfonso Soriano is named the 2004 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player after going 2-for-3 with a three-run home run. He becomes the first Major League player to win the Top Vote-Getter award and the All-Star Game's MVP award in the same summer.

2005

Michael Young won the American League batting championship, first baseman Mark Teixeira won a Gold Glove and set a Major League record for RBI by a switch-hitter and the Rangers sent four players to the All-Star Game. But they still won ten less games than the year before and finished in third place in the American League West with a record of 79-83. The Rangers hit 260 home runs, the second most in Major League history, but their pitching staff had a 4.96 ERA, the third highest in the American League. The Rangers were 46-40 at the All-Star break, five games out of first place. But they fell out of contention with a 1-12 roadtrip in August. The season saw the Rangers boast seven players with at least 20 homers each en route to setting a club record for homers at home. Kenny Rogers led the team in wins (14) and ERA (3.46). Mark Teixeira paced Texas' red-hot offense with 43 home runs and 144 RBIs.

Sept. 18, 2005: The Rangers hit five homers, including blasts by David Dellucci, Alfonso Soriano, Rod Barajas and two by Teixeira -- one from each side of the plate -- to up the season total at home to a Major League-record 152 home runs and complete the four-game sweep.

Dec. 27, 2005: The Rangers sign free-agent right-hander Kevin Millwood to anchor their starting rotation for next season. In 2005, Millwood posted an AL-best 2.86 ERA while with the Indians.

2006

Michael Young was the Most Valuable Player in the All-Star Game with a two-run triple in the top of the ninth that gave the American League a 3-2 victory. The Rangers still finished 80-82 and manager Buck Showalter was replaced at the end of the year by Oakland third base coach Ron Washington. Young set a new team record with 52 doubles and the team led the Majors with 357 doubles, another club record.

Nov. 6, 2006: Ron Washington named manager of the Texas Rangers.

April 28, 2006: Kevin Mench homers in his 7th consecutive game, becoming the first right-handed batter in ML history to accomplish that feat.

July 11, 2006: Michael Young named All-Star Game MVP with 2-run, game-winning triple in the 9th inning at Pittsburgh's PNC Park.

September 13, 2006: Gary Matthews Jr. becomes the 3rd Ranger to hit for the cycle in a 4-4, 3 RBI effort against Detroit at Comerica Park.

October 4, 2006: Buck Showalter dismissed as manager.

November 6, 2006: Ron Washington is named the 17th full-time manager in club history.

2007

March 2, 2007: Rangers sign shortstop Michael Young to a contract extension through 2013.

March 19, 2007: Club's home renamed Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

August 11, 2007: Rusty Greer is inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame prior to a 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay at Rangers Ballpark.

August 22, 2007: The Rangers establish several modern Major League records with a 30-3 win in the first game of a doubleheader in Baltimore.

2008

February 6, 2008: Nolan Ryan returns to the Rangers as club president, just the third Hall of Famer to hold that position in Major League history.

July 16, 2010: Bengie Molina becomes the fifth player in Rangers history to hit for the cycle in an 8-4 win over the Red Sox. Molina has a single in the second inning, a double in the fourth, a grand slam in the fifth and completes the cycle with a triple in the eighth. He becomes just the eighth player in baseball history to hit a grand slam and hit for the cycle in the same game.

August 12, 2010: Major League Baseball unanimously approves the sale of the Texas Rangers from Thomas O. Hicks to the group led by Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan. The new Texas ownership group is called Rangers Baseball Express.

September 23, 2010: Michael Young becomes the fourth player in Rangers history to play 1,500 games with the club. Previous Rangers include Rafael Palmeiro (1,573), Jim Sundberg (1,512) and Ivan Rodriguez (1,507).

September 25, 2010: The Rangers defeat the Oakland A's, 4-3, to clinch the AL West Division title and secure a playoff berth for the first time since 1999.

October 12, 2010: On the shoulders of an 11-strikeout complete game from Cliff Lee, the Rangers defeat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1, in Game 5 of the ALDS to earn a berth in the 2010 American League Championship Series. It is the first ALCS appearance in Texas Rangers franchise history.

October 22, 2010: The Rangers defeat the New York Yankees, 6-1, in Game 6 of the ALCS to win the series and advance to the 2010 World Series. Josh Hamilton is named ALCS MVP.

November 1, 2010: The Rangers fall to the Giants, 3-1, at Rangers Ballpark in Game 5 of the World Series. The loss gives the San Francisco Giants their fourth win and the 2010 World Series title.

November 4, 2010: The Rangers sign manager Ron Washington to a two-year extension through 2012.

November 11, 2010: Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton and designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero are named winners of the 2010 American League Silver Slugger Award at their respective positions. It is the second Silver Slugger Award for Hamilton, and the eighth for Guerrero.

November 15, 2010: Closer Neftali Feliz is named 2010 American League Rookie of the Year.

November 23, 2010: Outfielder Josh Hamilton is named 2010 American League Most Valuable Player. Hamilton receives 22 out of a possible 28 first-place votes to earn his first MVP Award.

2011

The Rangers won their second straight division title and set a club record with 96 wins. They defeated the Rays in four games in the American League Division Series and the Tigers in the AL Championship Series to advance to the World Series for the second straight year. Nelson Cruz set a Major League record with six home runs in the ALCS. The Rangers lost to the Cardinals in seven games in the World Series.

Michael Young set career highs with a .338 batting average and 106 RBI while playing multiple positions. He was named to the All-Star team for the seventh time in eight years and was joined by third baseman Adrian Beltre, outfielder Josh Hamilton and pitchers C.J. Wilson and Alexi Ogando. Beltre won a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award for his play at third base.

Wilson and Derek Holland both won 16 games. The Rangers had five starters with at least 13 wins, the first A.L. team to do so since the Orioles in 1977. The staff had a 3.79 ERA that was the lowest for the Rangers since 1983. The Rangers set a single-season home attendance record.

Jan. 3, 2011: Rangers officially announce that they have signed RHP Brandon Webb and LHP Arthur Rhodes to one-year deals.

Jan. 5, 2011: Rangers agree to terms with third baseman Adrian Beltre on a six-year contract. In 2010, the two-time Gold Glove winner was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career and received a Silver Slugger Award.

June 21, 2011: Mitch Moreland hits a walkoff home run in the bottom of the 11th to give the Rangers a 5-4 victory over the Astros.

July 19, 2011: Alexi Ogando pitches the Rangers to a 7-0 victory over the Angels to extend their winning streak to 12 games, the second longest in club history.

July 30, 2011: Pitcher Koji Uehara is acquired from the Orioles for first baseman Chris Davis and pitcher Tommy Hunter.

July 31, 2011: Pitcher Mike Adams is acquired from the Padres for two Minor Leagues pitchers.

Sept. 23, 2011: With a victory over the Mariners, the Rangers clinch the A.L. West title for the second straight year.

Sept. 28, 2011: With a 3-1 victory over the Angels on Sept. 28, the Rangers set a club record with 96 wins on the season.

Oct. 4, 2011: Rangers clinch ALDS with a 4-3 victory over the Rays, winning the series in four games. It's the second straight year they beat the Rays in the first round of the playoffs.

Oct. 10, 2011: Rangers beat the Tigers, 7-3, in 11 innings to take a 2-0 lead in the ALCS. Nelson Cruz hit a walkoff grandslam, the first ever in Major League post-season history.

Oct. 15, 2011: Rangers beat the Tigers, 15-5, in Game 6 of the ALCS to advance to the World Series for the second straight year. Cruz was named the MVP of the Series after hitting a record six home runs and 13 RBI.

Oct. 20, 2011: The Rangers rally for two runs in the top of the ninth for a 2-1 victory over the Cardinals to even the World Series at one game each.

Oct. 27, 2011: The Rangers lose Game 6 of the World Series, 10-9, in 11 innings. The Rangers had a two-run lead in the ninth and the 10th but couldn't hold it.

Oct. 28, 2011: The Rangers lose Game 7, 6-2.

Nov. 22, 2011: Reliever Joe Nathan agrees to a two-year deal with the Rangers to be their closer.

Dec. 19, 2011: The Hokkaido Ham Fighters announce that the Rangers have won posting rights for pitcher Yu Darvish.

2012

The Rangers led the American League West for almost the entire season but then lost three straight to the Athletics at the end of the year. They ended up in second place in the division and lost to the Orioles, 5-1, in the Wildcard Playoff Game. The Rangers finished with 93 wins, the third straight year they finished with at least 90.

Darvish, signed as a free agent out of Japan, was 16-9 with a 3.90 ERA in 29 starts. He struck out 221 in 191 innings and held opponents to a .221 batting average. He was only the second rookie pitcher in American League history with at least 16 wins and 210 strikeouts in their first season, joining Herb Score of the 1955 Indians. He finished third in the A.L. Rookie of the Year voting behind Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.

The Rangers set a club record by drawing 3,460,280 fans, the first time ever for them to draw over three million in a season.

Hamilton tied a Major League record by hitting four home runs in a game against the Orioles on May 8, 2012. He also had a double, giving him 18 total bases. He was the American League Player of the Month for April and May.

2013

The Rangers finished 91-72, winning 90-plus games for the fourth straight year. They finished in second place in the American League West and lost to the Rays, 5-2, in a tie-breaker game for one of the two Wild Card playoff spots. It was the sixth straight year the Rangers finished either first or second in their division.

The Rangers had a 3 1/2 game lead in the division on Aug. 24 before losing 18 of their next 27 games. They won seven straight games to finish the regular season and force the tie breaker game.

Yu Darvish went 13-9 with a 2.83 ERA and came within one out of throwing a perfect game in the second game of the season against the Astros. He led the Majors with 277 strikeouts.

The Rangers pitching staff finished with a 3.62 ERA, their lowest since 1993. They scored 730 runs, their lowest in a full season since 1992.

Ron Washington passed Bobby Valentine for the most wins in club history with 611 over seven full seasons.

Adrian Beltre led the Rangers with a .315 batting average, 30 home runs and 92 RBI.

Joe Nathan was selected to the All-Star Game and recorded his first save in the AL's 3-0 victory. Nathan finished the season with 43 saves and a 1.39 ERA in a bullpen that was one of the Rangers biggest strength.

Alex Rios hit for the cycle on Sept. 23, the seventh Rangers player to accomplish the feat.

2014

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington was renamed Globe Life Park in Arlington.

After four straight 90-plus win seasons, the Rangers plummeted to 67-95, finishing in last place in the American League West. The Rangers were clobbered by numerous injuries as the club set Major League records by using 64 players, including 40 pitchers.

The Rangers used the disabled list a Major League-leading 26 times. Among those who went on the disabled list were pitchers Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Martin Perez and Alexi Ogando, catcher Geovany Soto, infielders Adrian Beltre, Prince Fielder, Jurickson Profar and Mitch Moreland, and outfielders Shin-Soo Choo and Jim Adduci.

Manager Ron Washington resigned with 22 games to go for personal reasons. He was replaced by interim manager Tim Bogar, who led the club to a 14-8 record. The Rangers won 13 of their last 16 games. After the season, the Rangers hired Pirates bench coach Jeff Banister as their manager.

Beltre was selected to the All-Star Game for the fourth time in his career. He finished the season hitting .324 while also leading the club with 19 home runs and 77 RBI.

Pitcher Colby Lewis returned to the rotation after missing 18 months because of flexor tendon and hip replacement surgery. He went 10-14 with a 5.18 ERA in 29 starts. He was 4-8 with a 3.86 ERA in 13 starts after the All-Star break.

The Rangers traded reliever Joakim Soria to the Tigers for pitchers Corey Knebel and Jake Robertson on July 23. That allowed Neftali Feliz to go back into the closer's role for the first time since 2011. He finished with 13 saves and a 1.99 ERA.

2015

The Rangers went 88-74 under first-year manager Jeff Banister and won the sixth division title in club history. Banister was hired after 29 years in the Pirates organization as a player, coach, instructor, coordinator and Minor League manager. The Rangers were 42-46 at the All-Star break but went 46-28 in the second half - led by the resurgence of Adrian Beltre and Shin-Soo Choo - and clinched the division on the last day of the season.

The Rangers lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series. They won the first two games in Toronto, lost two in Arlington and then lost Game 5 on the road despite taking a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Prince Fielder swept the post-season Comeback Player of the Year Awards after hitting .305 with 23 home runs and 98 RBI. He had been limited to 42 games the prior season because of a neck injury that required season-ending surgery.

The Rangers made a number of notable in-season acquisitions, acquiring outfielder Josh Hamilton from the Angels and Mike Napoli from the Red Sox. They also acquired relievers Jake Diekman and Sam Dyson to reinforce their bullpen and catchers Bobby Wilson and Chris Gimenez. The biggest acquisition was getting All-Star left-hander Cole Hamels from the Phillies.

Several young players emerged as key members of the team. Right-hander Shawn Tolleson flourished in the closer's role, rookie reliever Keone Kela was superb in a setup role and Rule 5 draft pick Delino DeShields took over as the center fielder and leadoff hitter. Veteran starters Colby Lewis and Yovani Gallardo combined to win 30 games, helping make up for the loss of Yu Darvish and Derek Holland to injuries.